


Afternoon Respite

by OrangeBlossoms



Series: FEmslash February 2018 [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/F, Ficlet, Fluff, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-13 22:00:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13579776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeBlossoms/pseuds/OrangeBlossoms
Summary: Sully thinks over her changing feelings for a friend.





	Afternoon Respite

**Author's Note:**

> Just a ficlet tonight. I've come down with the flu, so formatting something longer is... unlikely. 
> 
> Also, happy fifth anniversary to Awakening's release in NA.

Lazing the day away reading would have drawn her scorn once. Even with a gentle breeze and sun-dappled shade, she never would have believed she’d be looking forward to an afternoon curled up with a book. The very idea of it brimmed with a quiet domesticity that had her clearing her throat as she polished her armor early one morning, the birds still asleep in the trees.

The company was what drew her in and even that was something she wouldn’t admit to outright. Not that Sumia ever pressed her, instead offering gentle smiles that made her ache at the familiarity in a way that bordered on pleasant. She didn’t have to be anything in particular when they spoke over tea, leaving tired small talk at the door. Despite her contentment, there were days she had more energy than usual, a sinking worry in her gut that maybe she wasn’t doing enough and a competitive spark that compelled her to impress.

They fought next to each other often, so fancy maneuvers with a sword or lance wouldn’t work like it did with those village girls. They followed her when she ran errands, giggling amongst themselves when she threw a knowing smile or an easy nod their way. They weren’t serious though. She’d learned that the hard way before, so she played along with these games, both companies taking a break from fretting over war or the undead that roamed Ylisse before parting ways, strangers passing for a blink of time only for the details to be forgotten later. 

She didn’t really care much about what any of the men in the army thought either. She knew a lot of them weren’t keen on her manner of going about things. Chrom was alright, but she figured it was because they’d known each other since they were kids. She’d been told for years that she wasn’t “girly” enough only to be told one day that she wasn’t “womanly” enough either. As if the thought never would have occurred to her on its own. As if she needed some half-wit to let her know she was different. She could wipe the floor with any of them and sometimes she obliged their sorry selves. It bothered her every so often, but really it was their own fool problems and not worth her time. All she needed to be was herself and she hoped that maybe… maybe that would be enough. 

She couldn’t make little pies for them to split between them on the road or open up worlds by sharing new stories. For once in her life she began to wonder if maybe she really should have diversified. Maybe going whole hog on training hadn’t been for the best. 

She read everything Sumia recommended to her and fumbled her way to admitting the ones she enjoyed. The first time Sumia had lent her a novel, she had said something about there being a book for every reader, you just had to search for it in the right way. When she returned it less than a week later despite not having read much of anything since her days when she had a tutor, they had discussed it over tea. Sumia had lit up like a bonfire, all animated and rosy-cheeked, not embarrassed or self-conscious in the least. 

With horses, pegasi and books, Sumia was queen of her own domains. The sudden bursts in confidence were beautiful in ways Sully couldn’t put into words, so used to her own callused hands and short-cropped messy hair that she might as well have been a trainee when it came to all forms of soft and sweet. She couldn’t help herself if she leaned forward when Sumia talked, the warmth from her cup causing a tingling sensation in the tips of her fingers. 

When it came to other things, Sumia would falter, her eyes downcast and head shaking as if her thoughts weren’t worth the breath required to mention them. Sully wanted to hoist whichever idiots had done that to her self-worth by their collars and give a good shaking before kicking them into the proper groveling position so they could eat grass, apologize or both. 

Maybe it was weakness, that molasses feeling in her throat or the way her voice cracked like a freshly recruited page’s. Hits from opponents twice her size didn’t destabilize her in the way a casual hand on a shoulder could. She’d conquered all manner of beasts and men, but when they sat under the trees together and Sumia leaned against her, maybe she didn’t mind a little vulnerability.


End file.
